Death Threats (and a scholarship fund). Local pariah, national hero.

[PassingFair]

This is an excellent article about Jessica Ahlquist.




http://www.alternet.org/belief/153803/Why_Is_an_Atheist_High_School_Student_Getting_Vicious_Death_Threats%3F/?page=4

snip>
So -- paradoxically -- the less good evidence we have for a belief, and the less defensible it is, the more vigorously we defend it.

And if that indefensible belief is important to us -- if it's a central part of our philosophy, our community's culture, our consolation in the face of hardship, our deepest personal identity -- our defense of it is likely to become even more vigorous. And our need to shut down any contradictory ideas becomes even more vehement. In some cases, to the point of ostracism, bullying, and outright threats of violence.

So when religion is questioned, and the privilege it enjoys is challenged, all too often the answer is, "Shut up."

[cbayer]

1. The court decision was 100% correct and the community's response despicable.

[PassingFair]

2. Have you seen the videos of the city council meetings in response to this ruling?Not just despicable

...scary!

There is a link for a donation for Jessica's college fund at the end of the article.

I donated.

[cbayer]

3. Can you imagine being her? Or being her parent?

What a tough call. I would want to get my kid out of there, but then I wouldn't want to be seen as cowing to the bullies.

Hope she gets to go to college very, very soon.

[PassingFair]

4. Yes I can. My own children have been harassed for being atheists.

To the point where, at one time, they pretended to be
Jewish, just so they wouldn't be discriminated against.

And this is in the tolerant north.

[AlbertCat]

5. they pretended to be Jewish, just so they wouldn't be discriminated against.

That's just crazy... because when I was in school (the 70's) I was called a "kike" and harassed all the time. And I'm not Jewish. I informed the fools calling me a "stupid Jew" we went to 1st Presbyterian Church and I got "You don't have to lie about it... JEW". (My father use to talk about penny pinching stupid Jews all the time.... if he only had known!) Anyway, after a while I just said "Yeah whatever...mozel tov everyone...."


BTW... guess what! I have a big nose...

[PassingFair]

6. Better than being "atheist".

As "jews" they were protected from blatant discrimination.

People were curious about them, not antagonistic.

[2ndAmForComputers]

7. Funny, I always - half-jokingly - felt some kind of kinship with Judaism.

You see, Christians believe in two holy books. Jews believe in one. I believe in zero. One is closer to zero than two is.

[PassingFair]

8. I think that might be part of it! My oldest daughter told me, when she was 12....

that she wanted to become Jewish. Well, I told her to study the religion
and that we'd talk when she better understood what she was getting into.

Six months of deep study...she comes to me and tells me that she's ready
to "convert". She was very serious about this.

I told her that she'd have to wait until she was 18, and then I would fully
support her decision. Then she said, and I am NOT making this up:

"But that will be TOO LATE FOR A BAT MITZVAH!!!"

Little stinker had been reading and had seen on TV how much money
and STUFF kids got at their parties!

It wouldn't surprise me if she marries a Jewish guy and converts someday.

[2ndAmForComputers]

10. LOL

Greedy little stinkers.

[PassingFair]

11. Welcome to DU, by the way!

[cleanhippie]

9. Imagine? No need to, I have been in her shoes. Several times.

It even happens right here in DU occasional. But IRL, I have found myself on the sharp end of the believers stick, getting poked and prodded for daring to question irrationality.

Most of us have. Most of us will again. I hope you can see and understand just how prevalent this is.

[MarkCharles]

12. Very prevalent, indeed.

I don't wear my atheism on my sleeve, but I DO post about it here and other places.

People seem to have a problem with non-conformists, especially non-god-believing ones.

This young woman was very brave. I wonder why her name and identity ever had to be part of the court procedings... if she were charged with a criminal action, in a court, at 16, her name would have been with-held, due to her status as a minor.